Did I Take the Easy Way Out?

I try not to dwell on the fact that I put music aside and gave up on a music career 25 years ago.

On October 16, 2014 I will have worked 25 years at my present place of employment.

I can’t say that I have nothing to show for that 25 years.

I put my children through school, paid off my house and don’t owe anyone anything. I also managed to put some money aside. So baring any catastrophic event or government tyranny my retirement is well ahead of most at my age.

I also learned a lot of valuable lessons about business, management and leadership.

But what I left behind was a need to create.

This need surfaced time and time again over the years.

I made furniture, designed and built a deck, carved and painted duck and fish decoys. My need to create was always there but I kept it in check so it wouldn’t interfere with my business career. I had to stay on task.

Well now that career is over. I still work at the same place but now it’s just a job. It’s just a way to earn the money I need to pay the bills and try to find time to pursue my creative side.

I never want it said by myself or anyone else that I didn’t choose the path I took, that somehow I was forced to give up music.

Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t choose the path of least resistance.

Maybe I did but what I wanted to insure was that I had a good stable home life for my kids and give them the means to pursue any opportunities that came their way.

Getting out of music and coming back to where I grew up seemed to be a better choice than staying where I was and hoping things turned out OK.

It does me no good to imagine and speculate about the ”what if’”. I made my decision and spent the last 25 years living with it. I have no regrets about that.

The only real regret I have is losing contact with some of the people that I worked and played with, the few true friends I have made over the years.

I may have done that because they were music and I felt I couldn’t allow myself to be distracted. Music was and is a big part of our friendship. Music is the glue that binds us together.

I was committed to my career in the “normal” business world and the rewards I thought I would see.

The rewards did not pan out but what was important did. I was able to take care of my family.

So did I take the easy way out?

I took what I saw as the most beneficial path for my family. I worked very hard over the last 25 years.

Now it’s my time.

I’m lucky enough to be able to get back into music. I’m lucky enough to have talent that other musicians who I trust and respect are still interested in working with me.